Career and Education Opportunities for Technical Writers in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Technical writer career and educational opportunities abound in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. There are currently 450 working technical writers in Tennessee; this should grow 16% to about 520 working technical writers in the state by 2016. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for technical writers are expected to grow by about 18.2%. In general, technical writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions.

A person working as a technical writer can expect to earn about $26 hourly or $55,060 annually on average in Tennessee and about $29 per hour or $61,620 per year on average in the U.S. as a whole. Earnings for technical writers are better than earnings in the general category of Writing and Editing in Tennessee and better than general Writing and Editing category earnings nationally. Jobs in this field include: documentation designer, editor, and assembly instructions writer.

There are four schools within twenty-five miles of Murfreesboro where you can study to be a technical writer, among forty-five schools of higher education total in the Murfreesboro area. The most common level of education for technical writers is a Bachelor's degree. It will take about four years to learn to be a technical writer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Technical Writer

Technical Writer video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, technical writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. They also may assist in layout work.

Technical writers organize material and complete writing assignments in line with set standards. They also maintain records and files of work and revisions. Equally important, technical writers have to edit or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel. They are often called upon to inspect published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope and methods of reproduction and binding. They are expected to decide on photographs and charts to illustrate material. Finally, technical writers help in laying out material for publication.

Every day, technical writers are expected to be able to write clearly and communicate well. They need to read and understand documents and reports.

It is important for technical writers to interview production and engineering personnel and read journals and other material to become familiar with product technologies and production methods. They are often called upon to analyze developments in specific field to establish need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material. They also talk with customer representatives or publisher to determine technical specifications and to establish subject material to be developed for publication. They are sometimes expected to observe production and experimental efforts to establish operating procedure and detail. Somewhat less frequently, technical writers are also expected to draw sketches to illustrate specified materials or assembly sequence.

Technical writers sometimes are asked to draw sketches to illustrate specified materials or assembly sequence. And finally, they sometimes have to observe production and experimental efforts to establish operating procedure and detail.

Like many other jobs, technical writers must believe in an agile approach to problem solving and deal with change and be thorough and dependable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Murfreesboro include:

Audio Visual Technician. Set up or set up and operate audio and video equipment including microphones, sound speakers, video screens, projectors, video monitors, recording equipment, connecting wires and cables, sound and mixing boards, and related electronic equipment for concerts, sports events, meetings and conventions, presentations, and news conferences. May also set up and operate associated spotlights and other custom lighting systems.

Copy Writer. Write advertising copy for use by publication or broadcast media to promote sale of goods and services.

Editorial Specialist. Perform variety of editorial duties, such as laying out, indexing, and revising content of written materials, in preparation for final publication.

News Analyst. Analyze, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources.

Program Director. Direct and coordinate activities of personnel engaged in preparation of radio or television station program schedules and programs.

Radio and Television Announcer. Talk on radio or television. May interview guests, act as master of ceremonies, read news flashes, identify station by giving call letters, or announce song title and artist.

Reporter. Collect and analyze facts about newsworthy events by interview, investigation, or observation. Report and write stories for newspaper, news magazine, or television.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Technical Writer Training

Nashville State Technical Community College - Nashville, TN

Nashville State Technical Community College, 120 White Bridge Rd, Nashville, TN 37209-4515. Nashville State Technical Community College is a medium sized college located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs. It has 7,716 students and an admission rate of 71%. Nashville State Technical Community College has a less than one year program in Technical and Business Writing which graduated one student in 2008.

Trevecca Nazarene University - Nashville, TN

Trevecca Nazarene University, 333 Murfreesboro Rd, Nashville, TN 37210. Trevecca Nazarene University is a small university located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 2,366 students and an admission rate of 68%. Trevecca Nazarene University has a bachelor's degree program in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric which graduated six students in 2008.

Belmont University - Nashville, TN

Belmont University, 1900 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN 37212-3757. Belmont University is a small university located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 5,075 students and an admission rate of 63%. Belmont University has a bachelor's degree program in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric.

Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN

Vanderbilt University, 2101 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37240. Vanderbilt University is a large university located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 12,093 students and an admission rate of 25%. Vanderbilt University has a bachelor's degree program in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric which graduated five students in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Technical Trainer:
CompTIA CTT+ is an international, vendor-neutral certification that covers core instructor skills, including preparation, presentation, communication, facilitation and evaluation in both a classroom and virtual classroom environment.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Murfreesboro, Tennessee photo by Pollinator

Murfreesboro is situated in Rutherford County, Tennessee. It has a population of over 101,753, which has grown by 47.9% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Murfreesboro, 85, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Murfreesboro are valued at $145,900 on average, which is near the state average. In 2008, five hundred seventy-nine new homes were constructed in Murfreesboro, down from 1,157 the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Murfreesboro are educational services, health care, and accommodation and food services. For men, it is construction, accommodation and food services, and educational services. The average commute to work is about 24 minutes. More than 30.8% of Murfreesboro residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 9.9%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Murfreesboro is 9.6%, which is less than Tennessee's average of 10.2%.

The percentage of Murfreesboro residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 37.6%, is less than both the national and state average. Central Christian Church, Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church and Saint Pauls Episcopal Church are some of the churches located in Murfreesboro. The most common religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the Churches of Christ and the United Methodist Church.

Murfreesboro is home to the Clement Hall and the Military Park Brannons Redoubt as well as Old Fort Park and Jones Field. Shopping malls in the area include Northside Plaza Shopping Center, Northfield Crossing Shopping Center and Northfield Court Shopping Center. Visitors to Murfreesboro can choose from Doubletree Hotel Murfeesboro, Best Western Chaffin Inn and Hampton Inn Motel Fax Line for temporary stays in the area.